Attorney General Kane Takes Legal Action Against Eight Home Improvement Contractors Operating Across the Commonwealth
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Attorney General
Combined, the contractors agreed or were ordered to pay a total of more than
The legal actions include five Assurances of Voluntary Compliance (AVC) with:
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Additionally, final Court orders were entered in legal actions involving:
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The legal actions involved compliance with
HICPA requires home improvement contractors operating in
Additionally, HICPA requires contractors to disclose whether they have had a license suspended or revoked by any state or municipality or have been barred from any government-funded home improvement program. They must also indicate if they have been convicted of certain crimes, including home improvement fraud, theft or crimes of deception, or have filed for bankruptcy.
Contractors are required to include their registration number on all advertisements, estimates and work proposals, and no home improvement contract is valid unless it is clearly written and contains the contractor's registration number, detailed information about the proposed work and is signed by both the contractor and the homeowner.
Contractors must also provide consumers with a notice of their three-day right to cancel the contract. The notice must be provided orally, in the contract itself and in a separate form.
Failure to comply with HICPA may result in civil and criminal penalties under the law, as well as a requirement that injured consumers receive restitution. Contractors should visit the
Consumers should check to be sure the contractor is registered with the
Attorney
Know the costs: Before you begin your home improvement project, look at your personal finances and household expenses to determine if you can afford it. Keep in mind, some home improvement projects can be as costly as purchasing a new car.
Plan it out: Take time and carefully plan out your home improvement project. Planning will help you or your contractors estimate costs and time, allowing you to budget your project appropriately.
Know what permits are required: While planning, be aware that local municipalities may require permits for home improvement projects and for certain specialized work. Talk to your municipality and find out if permits are required. For instance, plumbers and electricians are licensed specialties in some municipalities. If your project involves major plumbing and electrical services, you will want to make certain your contractor is licensed.
Before you dig: Timely contact local utility providers if your plans include excavating or digging. This will allow the utility companies to mark off areas around your home to help avoid a hazardous or dangerous situation.
Hiring Contractors: While most home improvements contractors operate an honest business, there are those who engage in deceptive practices and defraud consumers of large sums of money.
Before entering into a contract with a home improvement contractor make sure you:
* Ask the contractor for local references, and call them to see if they were satisfied with the contractor's work. If possible, go out and look at finished projects.
* Solicit multiple bids for the work you need. Make sure each contractor is submitting bids according to the same home improvement project plans. Do not automatically assume the lowest is the best option.
* Ask if they will use subcontractors. If so, check their references and registration status.
* If your project requires specialized work, like electrical or plumbing, make sure your contractor or sub-contractors are licensed by the appropriate authority.
* Do not let anybody rush you into a home improvement project.
* Do not do business with contractors who appear at your door unexpectedly and point out problems with your home or offer a "good deal" on repair work.
* Do not allow any contractor, utility company or "inspector" in your home without confirming their identity.
* Homeowners, especially senior citizens, should rely on family, friends or neighbors for assistance in hiring a home improvement contractor.
* Make sure you have a written contract explaining guarantees, warranties, the price of labor/materials and the contractor's registration number and contact information, including a street address.
* Make sure you know who is responsible for obtaining permits and notifying local utilities.
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